Definition
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Origin
Unknown
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
From its formation process
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Banded, Trellis
Color
Grey, White, Yellow
Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Soft
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Powder
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Paper Industry, Production of Lime, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Whiting, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
The banded iron layers are formed in sea water when oxygen is released by photosynthetic cyano-bacteria. The oxygen then combines with dissolved iron in ocean to form insoluble iron oxides, which precipitated out, forming a thin layer of banded iron formation on ocean floor.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Imperfect
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.4
5.0-5.3
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Colombia
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Chalk and Banded iron formation Properties
Know all about Chalk and Banded iron formation properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Chalk and Banded iron formation belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Chalk is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis. Chalk appears Soft and Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Chalk is dull while that of Banded iron formation is earthy. Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors. The commercial uses of Chalk are alumina refineries, creating artwork, drawing on blackboards, gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, in aquifers, paper industry, production of lime, raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, soil conditioner, whiting, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper and that of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork.